The potential for an accidental needle stick is of great concern to health care providers because of the possible transmission of a deadly disease, such as a AIDS or Hepatitis. In some cases it is not always convenient for the health care provider to dispose of used needles in a sharps container during certain procedures, especially those involving the use of many syringes or needles. Thus, in these cases used syringes and/or needles often litter a treatment area while the patient is undergoing a procedure. Health care providers recognize a need to render these used needles harmless during a treatment, but without interrupting the procedure. While there is a myriad of different patented and unpatented devices for preventing accidental needle sticks, most are difficult or too expensive to manufacture, some are impractical and many more require separate pieces instead of being incorporated into the needle assembly or syringe. The present invention is directed to overcoming these and other problems associated with prior art devices and methods for preventing accidental needle sticks.